West Ham v Reading

There’s a massive game in the Championship on Saturday when second placed Reading head to a West Ham side sat one position and one point behind them. With Southampton building a gap at the top, and no other team within 10 points below, this feels like a play-off for automatic promotion.

At 12/5 with Boylesports, I’m finding a punt on the away win pretty irresistible. The Royals are on barnstorming form having won 9 and drawn 1 of their last 11 league matches. Compare that to the under-pressure Hammers who have taken maximum points in only 3 of the last 11. The situation is getting particularly agitated at Upton Park where the hosts have drawn their last five - that’s 10 dropped points as far as the fans are concerned.

Therein lies a potentially even bigger problem for Sam Allardyce. The natives are unimpressed, not only with recent results, but also the style of play. The former Bolton boss came under criticism from his own supporters even while his team were in the course of beating Peterborough at London Road in midweek.

“We’re West Ham United, we play on the floor,” chanted disgruntled fans. When Allardyce was asked for his response, he was blunt: “I’m sick of all that rubbish…perhaps their expectations are too much and they’re getting a bit carried away, I don’t know.”

This seems like a bad time for the manager to make enemies of the people who pay their money to come through the turnstiles. Reading have a chance to really make the atmosphere riotous on Saturday.

Brian McDermott’s boys had their feet up while the Hammers were scrapping away at Peterborough, and they will come into this on a high. The pressure is all on the home dressing room and at 12/5 (Boylesports), we look well advised to simply follow the form.